Southern California -- this just in

Plastic surgeon accused of secretly recording naked patients

August 2, 2012 | 2:57
pm

L.A. prosecutors charged a Sherman Oaks plastic surgeon with half a dozen misdemeanor counts in connection with allegations that he clandestinely videotaped female patients after they had undressed for medical examinations, officials said Thursday.

Dr. Lance Everett Wyatt, 42, was arrested without incident Thursday morning by the LAPD and investigators with the Medical Board of California’s Operation Safe Medicine. He was being booked Thursday afternoon and could not be immediately reached for comment.

Wyatt, who has an office near the Beverly Center and specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, faces six misdemeanor counts -- four of them related to the secret video recordings and the other two counts related to what the Los Angeles city attorney's office described as "sexual battery and battery."

"The sexual battery and battery counts relate to the way in which the doctor conducted the examination," said Deputy City Atty. Richard Kraft. He added: "The evidence of the defendant's violation of his patients' trust and invasion of privacy was compelling."

If convicted on all counts, Wyatt faces a maximum sentence of two years in county jail and must register, for life, as a sex offender.

"Patients deserve to feel safe and secure while in the care of their physician," said City Atty. Carmen Trutanich. "Our charges allege that Dr. Wyatt violated that sacred trust, and he should be held accountable."

Prosecutors allege that on Aug. 4, 2011, Wyatt made secret video-recordings of two patients who were seeing Wyatt for post-surgical care and were undressed. One of the patients discovered a camera in the office, fled with the camera and turned it over to police, authorities said.